# Amazon S3 as Database Backend?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/amazon-s3-as-database-backend/123779>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [December 20, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/amazon-s3-as-database-backend/123779 "2007-12-20T16:28:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kublai)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/amazon-s3-as-database-backend/123779/1 "2007-12-20T16:28:06Z")

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Examples I have seen of S3 involve storing files. I wonder if S3 can  
be used as a database backend. Or I wonder if there is a hosted  
service offering database storage and services in simple pay-as-you-go-  
and-use terms.  
Thanks,  
gk

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**Author:** ![kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kublai)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/amazon-s3-as-database-backend/123779/2 "2007-12-20T16:42:10Z")

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2007/12/20, kublai [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

> Examples I have seen of S3 involve storing files. I wonder if S3 can  
> be used as a database backend. Or I wonder if there is a hosted  
> service offering database storage and services in simple pay-as-you-go-  
> and-use terms.

Well Amazon proposes also SimpleDB, it’s quite recent.

There are some projects for Ruby client in Rubyforge, but nothing  
released yet, as it seems.

– Jean-François.

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**Author:** ![kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kublai)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/amazon-s3-as-database-backend/123779/3 "2007-12-20T16:52:43Z")

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As far as I know it isn’t a relational database, so I’m not sure if it  
would be too useful for rails applications.

Regards

Jean-François  
Trân escribió:\> 2007/12/20, kublai [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@kublai](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kublai)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/amazon-s3-as-database-backend/123779/4 "2007-12-20T22:02:51Z")

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I will check SimpleDB and I will check the projects at Rubyforge. And,  
yes, a backend with file as the basic unit of data storage (like an OS  
file system) has limited use if your requirement is for an RDB. Thanks  
for the reply.  
gk